FEATURE

Karen Parker, Editor-in-Chief, ASI

In 2024, raw materials suppliers offered new technology to help formulate the latest adhesives and sealants meet the evolving needs of customers.

In its most recent report, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) shared that chemical production in the United States and the rest of the world closed 2024 on an upswing. The ACC reports that the Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI) increased by 0.1% in December of 2024, after a revised 0.5% rise in November 2024. In the United States, the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) grew by 0.4% in December, following a 0.3% decrease in November. Both indices are based on a three-month moving average (3MMA) to minimize month-to-month fluctuations.

According to the Global CPRI, global output increased in all segments, with basic chemicals and specialty materials showing the highest gain. The U.S. CPRI found that chemical output in the United States was higher in December for the first time in four months with gains across all regions, except the Gulf Coast.

'In the U.S., chemical output rose in all regions except the Gulf Coast. There were signs of recovery in the output volumes of agricultural and coatings and other specialty chemicals that offset ongoing weakness in basic industrial chemicals and synthetic materials,' explained Martha Moore, ACC’s chief economist.

Chemical producers are navigating global political and social challenges while focusing on delivering new technologies. Innovation in adhesive and sealant technology is constantly evolving, driven by regulatory requirements and consumer demand. Consequently, adhesive and sealant companies are continually seeking new tools to develop products that address these changing needs. In 2024, raw material suppliers to the industry introduced new products designed to help manufacturers meet the dynamic demands of their customers. Below is a selection of these new products launched in 2024.

Wax for Packaging Adhesives

SASOLWAX LC100 from Sasol Chemicals is an industrial wax grade with a 35% lower carbon footprint, offering a more sustainable product portfolio. Designed for use in packaging adhesives, the wax delivers superior capabilities while achieving significant cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint (PCF) benefits. SASOLWAX LC100 follows the recent introduction of SASOBIT LC, Sasol's lower carbon solution for the asphalt industry. Both wax grades offer drop-in alternatives to the benchmark grades, enabling customers to significantly reduce their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions without compromising on performance.

Third-party verification: Sasol Chemicals' model for calculating PCFs for its GTL FT wax value chain has undergone a third-party review and complies with ISO 14067, an international standard that outlines the requirements and guidelines for quantifying the carbon footprint of products throughout their life cycle.

The SASOLWAX LC100 grade provides the same properties and performance benefits as Sasol's SASOLWAX H1, including enabling odorless, clear HMA formulations in combination with metallocene polymers, through low viscosity, high crystallinity and stability; enabling smoother, thinner adhesive application, resulting in more box closures with less adhesive per closure; enabling high-speed packaging lines due to fast set times; providing improved durability and stability; and featuring outstanding thermal stability, boosting operational efficiency for HMA manufacturers.

Silicone-Free Powder Defoamer

The new VOC-, mineral oil-, and silicone-free powder defoamer BYK-1693 SD is designed for aqueous, mineral, and dispersion-bound building material formulations, particularly for hybrid systems. Compatible with various binder systems, the product includes 54% biobased carbon content. Minimizing the environmental footprint while meeting the highest performance standards, the defoamer can be used in hybrid systems based on mineral-bound dry-mix mortars when combined with an aqueous or powder dispersion. Recommended uses include waterproofing membranes (polymer cement mortar), concrete repair mortar (polymer cement concrete), jointing compounds and putties, tile adhesives, skim coats, leveling compounds, and screeds. These innovative additive solutions help customers achieve their own sustainability goals and protect the environment.

Biobased Molecule 5-HMF

ResiCare if offering the first samples of the non-toxic, biobased molecule 5-HMF for industrial use. Non-toxic* and produced from plant-based fructose, this molecule offers industries a substitute for fossil-based products. The samples of the 5-HMF molecule produced by ResiCare are now available for industrial testing. 5-HMF is a particularly attractive platform molecule for the chemical industry, as it allows the replacement of fossil-based products with biobased alternatives in numerous application areas, including adhesives and resins, plastic polymers, solvents and acids, amines and amides, fuels and fuel additives, pharmaceuticals, and human and animal nutrition.

Note: *Contains no substances meeting the criteria for SVHC (Substance of Very High Concern), as defined by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Biobased Oils

SYLVASOLV™ is a new line of biobased hydrocarbon oils from Kraton Corp. that are designed to deliver superior performance and environmental advantages across many industries, including adhesives. The product line is derived from crude tall oil (CTO), a by-product of the kraft pulp industry, and is sourced from responsibly managed forests and non-genetically modified trees. These sources do not compete with food crops or require land-use change. In addition to their sustainability attributes, SYLVASOLV oils have excellent solvency power, which can enhance formulation optionality, enabling lower viscosity and safer handling due to their low-temperature properties.

Biosurfactants

Locus Ingredients' expanded line of Amphi^® biosurfactants is now listed on the TSCA Inventory of Chemical Substances. These 100% biobased ingredients are domestically produced sophorolipids — a type of biosurfactant in the glycolipid class — available at commercial scale. They provide formulators in consumer and industrial applications — including CASE — a sustainable alternative to traditional petrochemical surfactants with enhanced performance. The novel sophorolipids offer a wide range of functionality and can either enhance the performance of existing petrochemical-based surfactants or be the foundational surfactant for fully sustainable and eco-friendly products. They are made from responsibly sourced, renewable resources and produced with a low carbon footprint and are proven to enhance penetration, dispersion, and suspension properties of end products. Amphi sophorolipids are multifunctional and can act as an emulsifier, wetting agent, solubilizer, or coalescing agent in addition to their detergency properties. Readily biodegradable with no formaldehyde or other Proposition 65 regulated chemicals, they are non-GMO, palm oil free and have the lowest residual oleochemical and free fatty acid content in the market.

Biobased Resin

Lubrizol has expanded its bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) portfolio for adhesives with the addition of Pearlbond™ ECO 590 HMS TPU for hot-melt adhesives (HMAs). The high-performing resin from a renewable source can be applied by adhesive formulators in applications including furniture, edge banding, electronics, hot-melt film, textile lamination, seam tape, footwear, and transportation. Pearlbond ECO 590 HMS TPU is a fast-setting solution with good adhesion properties for applications that require a toluene-free and more environmentally friendly alternative, as well as high temperature and hydrolysis resistance. In addition, it is designed for improved processability (versus previous existing solutions in HMAs) and has wide wettability. A biobased resin with up to 59% bio content, it is a good choice for companies looking to have good performance and carbon footprint reduction.

UV Stabilizers

Catering to a diverse range of technologies and applications, Eversorb^® EP and HP light stabilizers from Everlight Chemical offer tailored solutions in addition to superior light and weather resistance.

Eversorb EP provides effective UV protection and excellent compatibility with epoxy resin systems. This series meets the highest industry standards, preventing the yellowing of sealants while maintaining their physical strength. All HP-series products come in liquid form and feature unique properties that streamline production and allow for utilization in a range of different applications.

Eversorb HP3 is an excellent substitute for Tinuvin B75 and is also suitable for a variety of applications, while Eversorb HP6 is recommended as a replacement for traditional powders such as UV 326 and HALS 770, delivering advantages in terms of incorporation and efficiency. Eversorb HP5 is a non-toxic, eco-friendly option that delivers outstanding weatherability without the need for hazard warnings on the label.

Light and Heat Stabilizers

AddWorks IBC 760 technology is an innovative label-free light and heat stabilizer solution for SMP sealants. It offers improved processing and handling properties, while reducing the cracking and yellowing that typically occurs during exposure to strong sunlight or high-temperature conditions. It is also a safe and effective solution that meets the high standards of customers and the industry. "This technology surpasses the performance of current benzotriazole-containing solutions in the market, and it offers improved protection against UV and thermal degradation, said Ray Gonzales, head of Marketing Coatings & Adhesives, Business Unit Adsorbents and Additives at Clariant.

Polyester Polyols

The Wanthanol^® WHP-H6 series from Wanhua Chemical offers exceptional mechanical properties, hydrolysis resistance, and transparency, providing enhanced performance for a wide range of high-performance elastomers, coatings, and adhesives. The series stands out for its superior hydrolysis resistance, ensuring stable performance of polyurethane materials even in high-humidity environments over extended periods. Additionally, it imparts excellent transparency to polyurethane products. Elastomers and coatings formulated with this series exhibit remarkable clarity and uniformity. With its unique molecular structure, the WHP-H6 series significantly enhances the mechanical strength of polyurethane materials, meeting the stringent requirements of advanced applications.

Note: The hydrolysis test was conducted by immersing 2mm test sheets in water at 80°C for seven days.

Polycaprolactone Polyols

Capa^® L is Ingevity’s next generation of sustainable and innovative polycaprolactone polyols for polyurethane adhesives that can be used in flexible food packaging, construction, and industrial applications. The technology offers an enhanced biodegradation rate, liquid products at room temperature, and is food contact compliant in the EU. The next generation of Capa polyols offers both performance and sustainability. Capa products can help formulators create make tougher, more durable, flexible, and resistant products with more sustainable end-of-life solutions.

Wetting Additive

BRB Siloen^® WA 264 from BRB International is a hydrolytically stable substrate wetting additive based on polyether siloxane technology. Designed for adhesives, water-based coatings, overprint varnishes, and printings inks, the additive provides a considerable reduction of surface tension, improving the substrate wetting. It shows a good hydrolytically stability and can be used in a pH range between 4 to 10 without noticeable degradation of the surface tension. The additive is particularly suitable for systems not containing co-solvents. It has limited or no foam stabilization and it doesn’t impact the intercoat adhesion (recoatability). Additionally, it doesn’t increase surface slip.